The Marymount College Learning 2.0 program is co-sponsored by the Library and Academic Affairs with the generous support of the TDW Professional Development Committee.
What is the purpose of this program?
The goal of the program is to provide a fun and supportive environment for Marymount faculty and staff to actively explore the new Web 2.0 technologies that are increasingly being used for both personal and educational purposes. Participants will learn such tools as blogs, RSS feeds, wikis, online photo and video sharing, social bookmarking and tagging, and social networking sites.
How does this online learning work?
The program coordinator, Mary McMillan, will set up a "Marymount College Learning 2.0" blog that will be the main portal for the project. This blog will be used to disseminate information about the project, add posts with advice for completing the tasks, foster community dialogue and provide links to useful articles and websites.
Participants will be asked to complete 23 tasks, which can be easily accomplished with existing, and freely available, technologies on the Internet.
Who is eligible to participate?
All Marymount College faculty and staff are eligible to participate, however only the first 20 registrants will be eligible for any awarded prizes. All others are welcome to work through the tasks and join in the conversations. The more people who participate the better.
How long do I have to complete this program?
Participants will be given 10 weeks to accomplish all 23 tasks. The program will kick-off on Monday, February 11, 2008 and will wrap up on Friday, April 18, 2008.
Can I work ahead through the list of items on my own?
Yes! If you find yourself so excited with your newfound tech savvy and have the time to work ahead, you are encouraged to do so. However, be sure to check back to this blog each week for any additional tips or resources and to participate in any discussion forums that might arise for the various exercises. Sharing insights your colleagues can be a great learning tool.
What if I am busy one week and do not complete the assigned tasks?
Not to worry. You are welcome to work at your own pace. The program "schedule" with its weekly assignments has been designed as a guideline to assist you in managing your progress. However, all 23 tasks must be completed prior to the end date in order to qualify for the final prizes.
What do I get for participating in this program?
The first 20 registrants will be eligible for the following prizes:
Halfway Prize: $5.00 Starbucks gift card
Awarded to those who complete the first 12 tasks.
Completion Prize: $20.00 Borders gift card & entry into the Grand Prize Raffle
Awarded to those to complete all 23 tasks prior to April 11th.
Grand Prize: iPod Nano and a $25.00 iTunes giftcard
Participants who complete all 23 tasks by April 18th will also
be entered into a raffle for a chance to win the Grand Prize.
Need more incentive? All participants will enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they are actively pursuing a professional development opportunity, along with acquiring "bragging rights" to impress families and friends with their newfound technology expertise.
How do I track my progress?
Each participant will keep a blog to track progress and reflect on what is being learned throughout the course of the program.
Mary McMillan will also track your progress in order to assist with any potential concerns, facilitate a dialogue of the various issues being explored and keep a log of those who become eligible for awarded prizes.
Can I participate anonymously?
Since you control all the information that you share on your blog, you can choose to use a pseudonym screenname to keep yourself anonymous. However, participant blogs will be made available on the program's main site for others to read in order to share information, find cohorts who can give pointers, and make the Learning 2.0 program a collegial experience.
The only person who is required to know your blog identity is Mary McMillan in order to properly track the progress of participants eligible to receive prizes.
Will there be any training classes offered to show staff how to do this?
There will not be any in-person training, however, if you feel you need assistance with an item, you can either seek advice from a co-worker who is also participating (reading other participant blogs can helpful) or contact Mary McMillan.
Who do I contact for help?
All questions regarding the Learning 2.0 program can also be submitted by email to Mary McMillan or by phone (310) 303-7304,
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